Small Steps
by Nemecky
Summary: Team Rocket is trying to gain power again and Ash Ketchum, the only person who could prevent them from doing so, is missing, so Francis "Jan" Janek is looking for him. During his journey however, he realized something.
1. Chapter 1

1

,,When one has no fear he has no imagination." – Erich Kästner

,,You can practically feel the tension in the air. At the moment nobody really knows what's going on or what's going to happen, because no one is commenting on the situation, but you can be sure that as soon as we have new information, we're going to inform you. Thanks for watching." With that the middle-aged correspondent ended his report. Since a few weeks phrases like these were broadcasted from Johto's most watched TV channel "Johto Today". Although the journalist did their best to find out more about this situation and prevent a panic, all their efforts failed. Rumors were spreading saying that the almost legendary criminal organization called "Team Rocket" which was disintegrated a few years previously, was formed again.

,,Why are you still watching something like that? They talked about this for months and still couldn't figure something out. All they do is repeating the same things over and over again. If anything is going to happen at all, we're going to find out. You don't have to watch these reports every minute, Francis?" a soft voice called from the door ankle of a kitchen.

The owner of the voice, a pretty woman of about 45, had watched her son sitting on the couch in living room during the report. She had tried to calm the 18 year old down, even though she was just as nervous as almost everybody in Johto. When her son turned off the TV but didn't answer, she slowly walked over to the couch and sat down next to her son. The brown haired mother carefully laid her hand on the arm of the teenager and waited for his reaction. Francis ,,Jan" Janek gradually turned his head towards his mother and starred at her with a blank expression, but Theresa Janek knew her son and could see the fear in his blue eyes.

Some years ago the name Team Rocket had only been used to scare little children , but recently the fear started to rise among the population of Johto, no matter whether they were young kids or grown-up adults. It was said that these criminals weren't just harming Pokemons, but human who didn't fit into their system too.

,,Do you never think about all this stuff going on?" Jan almost whispered. A whole minute of awfully silence followed before Theresa answered.

,,I try to avoid it." She explained truthfully. After his mother's response Jan began to rub over his face and through his sandy blonde hair with his hands, while quietly muttering things like ,,I wish I could do the same.". For a few seconds Theresa could have sworn she heard her son sob.

,,Remember what your grandfather used to say? You can cry and be sad, but after that…"

,,You need to stop and be a man." Jan completed his grandfather's best known quote. He had heard it every time when he had been sad about something and although it sometimes seemed harsh it helped to understand that you can't just cry and complain all the time, but stand up and do something against it. It was one of the last things his grandfather had said before he died. Jan was named after him although only his mother called him by his real first name.

For a few more minutes they sat on the couch. Theresa still had her hand on Jan's shoulder when she began to speak up once more.

,,Professor Elm asked for you today, Francis." Her voice sounded more confident this time. ,,He had a request for you."

Jan was surprised at what his mother said. Even before the panic in Johto started, the professor had been acting strange. It was a known fact in town that when it seemed like he was about to make a breakthrough Henry Elm shut himself in his lab. But in the last couple of months the young professor seemed to leave his favorite place less and less. Jan tried his best remembering the last time he had seen the professor but the only time he heard his name was when Elm's wife who was befriended with Theresa came over and shared her worries concerning her husband.

Of course it hadn't always been like that. A few years ago Jan had been invited on a daily basis to the professors' home to help him with his research by doing little errands for him or keep an eye on his young son Julian, but it seemed like the professor was busy doing stuff on which he didn't need help and his son had grown old enough to take care of himself when his parents weren't at home. Nonetheless Elm still acted like this weird but amiable uncle everybody had in his family.

,,What did he wan-"

,,I don't know." his mother interrupted before Jan could end his question. ,,He just said, that you should come over. It sounded important."

,,Then I better go see him, huh?" Jan mumbled more to himself than to his mother, but didn't move from the couch. It took him some time before he stood up and went over to the front door.

The first thing Jan noticed when he stepped out of the house was the cold wind blowing into his face and whirling his already messy hair around. It wasn't unusual to be windy in New Bark Town , no, in fact everybody who lived there appreciated it, because the most people used the wind to produce electricity, but there were often days the citizen had cursed the wind blowing in their faces.

The second thing Jan noticed was that no matter where he looked he couldn't see one person in the streets or elsewhere. The only living creatures he could find were some Sentrets running into bushes or Pidgeys flying over his head. He couldn't even spot Lyra, a girl living in New Bark Town, with her hyperactive Marill, although they practically seemed to live on the streets waiting for someone to pass by to jump out of their hiding spots and beat their victim's ears.

The walk to Professor Elm's lab didn't last long, probably because he was living almost next door. But it took quite a while before someone opened the door of the most famous lab in Johto. Jan had always wondered how this small laboratory could earn that title. When the heavy wood door finally opened the 24-year old assistant of Professor Elm, Glenn Anderson, stood in the door frame and eyed up the visitor.

,,H-Hello Jan. The Professor is already waiting for you in the back. You know the way, d-don't you?" Glenn stroked through his jet black hair as he offered to show the way. Glenn was a nice guy despite his occasionally strange behavior.

,,Yeah, I know." Jan once again muttered more to himself. He was way too deep in his thoughts to greet Glenn or be more respectful.

As Jan strolled through the lab, he looked at the many posters of the anatomy of different Pokemons on the wall and the stuffed shelves and realized that the lab looked even messier than usual. Unfortunately he didn't notice the boxes blocking the entrance of the back of Professor Elm's lab.

,,Ouch." Jan managed to suppress a yell, but still uttered a sound of pain.

,,Jan? Is that you?" came the familiar sound of Professor Henry Elm's quirky voice. He stepped out of his little office and held out his hand to the teenager when he saw him lying on the floor.

,,Sorry, my boy. We didn't have so much time cleaning this place." the professor excused and tried to smile, but his fearful and nervous expression hindered him from doing so. His light brown hair looked like he hadn't combed it in quite a while and his thick glasses weren't resting in their designated position. Jan also saw the professor's dark eye circles, making him wonder how long Elm had gone without sleep.

,,Thanks, Professor." Jan took Elm's hand thankfully and looked a bit embarrassed. ,,My mom said you wanted to see me?"

Suddenly Elm's face fell and it just felt wrong how old the young professor appeared when he did this. He looked very concerned as if he wasn't sure if he should talk or not. Before anything was said, Elm led the way into his office and pointed to a chair in front of his desk.

,,Your mother told me, that you are worrying too much about the rumors of Team Rocket's rise lately." Elm started to inform Jan. The 18-year old was a bit surprised at what Elm said, after all he didn't know his mother was so concerned about him watching the news channel. ,,Well it is a good thing that you're attentive to our current situation." The professor paused again for a moment before he almost whispered ,,Very well indeed. What do you know already?"

Jan looked up once again to the man who had been like an uncle to him. ,,I k-know that… here are hints suggesting that Team Rocket is active again, but I ain't sure if they're trustworthy. No one really knows expect them, right? Some newspaper say it has something to do with the leader's son, but I think these are just speculations. Like the rumors that they want to kill the most powerful trainers and gym leaders to take over their Pokemons. Not very likely, or?"

,,Maybe it isn't so unlikely after all. Listen, Jan." Elm took a deep breath before he continued. ,,If I tell you something about this… this stuff going on, you are going to be involved in this whole mess, so I'll ask you before. It has something to do with these rumors you mentioned. When you know the information I would have to ask a favor of you. A very dangerous favor. You would have to travel. For a long time. Just to find one person. I can understand when you prefer not to be involved in this and I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know if even when you found this person, it could prevent the worst scenario, but still I'm asking you now. Do …do you want to know?". During his explanation Elm had his eyes firmly fixed on a picture of his family, avoiding looking Jan in the eyes. He looked up at the moment he stopped talking to watch the teenager's reaction. When Jan didn't say anything Elm put his hands in the pockets of his lab coat and went on.

,,I would give you a Pokémon for your journey to protect you. However I'll say once more, you don't have to say yes. I'll give you time to think about it."

When Jan left the lab, telling the professor to consider his offer, he went back to his house and straight into his bedroom. For the rest of the day he didn't say a word to anyone, ignored the phone calls and text messages from his best and only friend Scott Leary and didn't turn on the news channel. Instead he just sat on his bed and thought about what Elm had said. At this moment Jan wished to be anyone else. No matter who who just someone else. Then he wouldn't have to answer Elm, he wouldn't have to have to get on a dangerous journey, he wouldn't be the one to blame it the plan failed and Team Rocket gained power again. The way Professor Elm spoke about the trip, made it sound like only a superhero was able to find this mysterious person who could prevent Team Rocket's rise. But Jan was no superhero. No, he was just a childish 18-year old, who had been too shy to ask Alexa Holton out, and who wasn't brave enough to play a trick on Howard Webb the strict janitor from his school when his classmates dared him to do so. But sometimes you have to stop and be a man.

,,Tell me." Jan requested the next day in Professor Elm's lab. He stood before the young professor and had his arm crossed. Although his voice sounded insecure, his blue eyes reflected his firm conviction. ,, I'll do it."

,,Are you sure? Like I said, it could be very dangerous and I don't know it-" Elm tried again to explain, but was interrupted by Jan.

,,I'll do it, professor." Jan answered, now with the same conviction in his voice that previously shone from his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

2

,,The best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn't one." - Margaret Atwood

,,Good. Now come. Let's sit down." Elm walked ahead to his office, sat down on a brown desk chair and waited for Jan to do the same. They both settled down, but it took Professor Elm some time before he spoke up. He looked as if he wasn't sure whether he should say something at all and Jan noticed his nervous attitude from the day before had reappeared.

,,Do you remember that I once told you Professor Samuel Oak was my mentor?" Elm didn't even waited for Jan's answer. ,,Well, before those rumors you mentioned yesterday about Team Rocket came up, we worked together with another man, whom you'll meet soon enough, and tried to discover more details about them and their leader Giovanni Mazzini. And we found out that... that they really plan on a reunion." Elm paused this time and seemed to be lost for words for a moment before he continued. ,,We had luck that they were defeated and had dissolved themselves the first time, but we can't be sure that someone will be able to do this again, if they really have success and form anew. But this time we have a advantage. We have the chance to prevent them, wait no, not to prevent them, but destroy them forever even before they reunion!" the professor's voice changed from nervous and jittery to vigorous and stern during his little speech. Sadly, it turned a little defeated again when he began to explain further.

,,Unfortunately this isn't going to be easy. Sam, I-I mean Professor Oak, Mr. Pokemon and me put a lot of thought into a solution and we actually came up with one, but it is important that we don't inaugurate too many people in our plan, so that it remains a secret and Team Rocket or Mazzini won't suspect something." Jan raised his eyebrow at the mention of this man named 'Mr. Pokemon', but when Elm didn't say anything further about him, Jan assumed it was a false name to remain anonymous.

,,Anyway, back to our own plan. I'm pretty sure you've heard about Ash Ketchum, right? After all he is one of the most powerful trainers these days and won quiet a lot league titles." Elm starred at Jan, drummed his fingers impatient on his desk and waited for an answer.

,,Of course. He's missing, isn't he?" Jan looked interrogative at Professor Elm, but as the words left his mouth Jan suddenly knew what Elm was driving at. Especially because Elm already told him the day before that Jan would have to search for one person, who might be able to prevent Team Rocket. ,,You want me to go look for him?"

At first Elm looked surprised, but his expression changed back to an serious one, while he silently confirmed Jan's suspicion with a nod. Ash Ketchum was a ten year old boy with wild, black hair from Pallet Town in Johto's neighboring region Kanto, when he started his Pokemon journey. During his travels he had won and lost many matches and he often participated in many different Pokemon leagues. Today, 13 years later to be exact, everybody knew about the infamous Ash Ketchum and his always present Pikachu. The two of them won more and more battles until he was almost unbeatable. However the stronger Ash and his Pokemons got, the less they battled anymore. In the end the now 23-year old trainer lived so reclusive that no one has heard about him lately; not even his mother.

,,But when he's missing, how am I supposed to find him. I mean he could be anywhere." Jan asked the older man.

Elm frowned slightly at this reference. ,,Admitted, we don't know for sure where Ash is, but Oak said that he is most likely on Mt. Silver and since we don't want to arouse attention you can't just go there. Mount Silver is a very dangerous place and you never even battled before, so you have to do a normal Pokemon journey. Go to the usual routes, maybe even win some badges. Just stay unobtrusive. We have reasons to believe, that the Rockets are way more violently then before and according to some of our contacts a small number of people have already vanished."

Jan let his blue eyes wander around in the small office of Professor Elm. He took a look at the poster, which showed the muscle structure of bigger Pokemon, and the scribbled calendar, which was nailed crooked on the white wall. After a few seconds Jan watched his hands in his lap, which tensely trembled. When Elm finished his last sentences, a great nervousness took over Jan. Suddenly he wasn't too sure anymore about their whole plan. When Jan lifted his head again towards Professor Elm, he eyed him sceptically. ,,And when I find him, what should I tell him?"

,,You have to bring him back here, so we can clear everything. Listen, Jan. I know this is a very big task with a lot of responsibility. It is understandable if you're afraid and I'm sorry I put you into this state, but you've got to be aware that this ain't no game. We all could get into danger, if something goes wrong." Elm explained when he sensed Jan's insecurity. ,,Come on. You've still got to chose your first Pokemon to accompany you on your mission." the professor tried to change the subject and gestured towards a big machine outside of his office in the middle of his lab.

The machine was almost as high as Jan himself and held three red-white colored Pokeballs which were neatly placed (a strange thing, considering in whose custody they were) next to each other. During the time Jan had helped the still young professor out, he often saw how Elm gave the new trainers their first Pokemon and thought about which one he would chose when he was old enough. Back than children where allowed to pick their first Pokemon and start their journey when the were ten years old, until the government realized which tremendous dangers awaited for the young children and so they have forbidden Pokemon journeys under the age of 18.

Professor Elm walked ahead over to the white machine, pushed some buttons and waited until the glass, which surrendered the three Pokeballs, opened. ,,You still know the starters, right? There are Cyndaquil, the fire-type Pokemon, Totodile, the water-type, and Chikorita, the grass-type. So... you already know which one you'll chose?"

Jan lowered his head down to have a better look on the Pokeballs in front of his face. Although he spend a lot of time thinking about which Pokemon he would take, he still didn't have a clue. Some years ago there lived a boy named Ethan Goldman in the little New Bark Town. He cleared all eight gyms that Johto offered and gained a lot of popularity together with his Typhlosion. Jan remembered how much he had admired Ethan when he was younger after all he was from New Bark Town like himself. At the same time, Krystal Collins, another trainer from New Bark Town, started her journey with her starter Chikorita and became one of the most famous female trainers. They were often used as an example when someone said that people who lived in small villages such as New Bark Town never made it out of there. But just like Jan was no hero, he wasn't like Ethan or Krystal.

,,I think I'll take Totodile." Jan pointed towards the Pokeball in the middle and looked up to Professor Elm. The professor stood next to the rather small teenager and had watched Jan while he aimed to the Pokeball, which held Totodile. Instead of saying something Elm nodded his approval. ,,You wanna give a nickname to your new partner?"

Jan looked up to Professor Elm before he answered. ,,I'll name him... Cooper." Jan reached out to the Pokeball and was about to release Totodile, but stopped abruptly. ,,He... It is a he, right?"

Once again Henry Elm just smiled and nodded, but he soon grew serious again. ,,Before you go, Jan. I'd have to ask another favor of you. I know you're already doing a lot, but it's just a simple task and it lays on your direction. There are some papers in my office, that my partner 'Mr. Pokemon' has to see. You'd just have to give them to him and than you can continue your originally task. Mr. Pokemon lives about a half mile outside of Cherrygrove." Elm's face showed signs of shame, as if he was ashamed to ask another favor of Jan, even though Jan didn't seemed to mind. ,,Great! Wait, I'll go grab the papers."

While Professor Elm walked back into his office, Jan pressed the black button in the middle of the Pokeball in his hand and released Cooper. A bright red light flashed from the opening of the capsule and formed a small creature in front of the 18-year old. When the flash vanished, a small, blue crocodile blinked up to Jan. It had a wide mouth with sharp white teeth, a yellow 'V' shaped pattern on his chest and red spikes on it's back. ,,'Dile!"

Cooper, who almost reached the height of Jan's knee looked around confused with his big, black eyes, until he settled his view on Jan and watched his new trainer questioningly. A smiling Jan knelt down next to Cooper, held his hand for Totodile's eyes and waited a few seconds before he started to stroke his head.

,,Hello, Cooper. I'm Jan." the teenager introduced himself and grinned when the Totodile began to shake his little arms excitedly and cried syllables of it's name.

,,Ahh, I've found them!" Professor Elm's satisfied yell turned Jan's attention from Cooper back to the older man as he come out of his office and offered Jan a thick file with papers and five empty Pokeballs. ,,There's still another thing to clarify before you go. Have you told your mother what you're going to do?"

Jan lost his cheerful mood at Elm's question and looked down to the ground. ,,I said that I'm going on a Pokemon journey, but I haven't told her what else I am going to do."

,,Good, good. When you do something like this, there is always a risk in telling someone the truth, even when it's someone we can actually trust. Now, Jan, you know what you got to do? I really don't want to impend you, but..." Elm had walked up to Jan and put his hands on top of the boy's shoulders. ,,I want you to know that I have a lot of trust in you. Take care of you and Cooper. Good luck, my boy."

A sad smile crept onto Jan's face. Although he felt honored by the faith Elm had in him, he couldn't suppress the fear of failing in his mind. ,,Thanks, professor."

By the time Jan left the lab, he had recalled Cooper, because Professor Elm said, that he might be safer inside his Pokeballs. On the first route in Johto Jan gathered some experience with battles, even though he mostly encountered some Pidgeys and Rattatas, which he could defeat with Cooper. He also once tried to catch a Pidgey, but sadly it freed itself and flew away very quickly. Nevertheless Jan couldn't cheer his victories like he might have if he was really just on a Pokemon journey. Still the thoughts of fear and skepticism crossed his mind, even when he tried to talk himself into believing everything would turn out just fine. Despite the fact that Jan and Cooper just met that day and the Pokemon was mostly kept inside it's Pokeball, the small Totodile sensed his trainers was worried about something. The dirty blonde haired boy was still lost in his thoughts, but he was interrupted by a loud, quirky cry of a wild Pokemon. The brown weasel like Pokemon was a little bit taller than Cooper, which it probably achieved though it's long tail on which it sustained itself. The tail was ringed black and brown and the Pokemon had a striking white circle on it's stomach. Since Sentrets were quiet common on route 29, Jan immediately recognized the Pokemon as one, so it's high-pitched yells of it's name weren't really necessary to identify it. Just as Jan grabbed for Cooper's Pokeball, he remembered the professor's words. "maybe even win some badges". If he really should fight against one of the eight gym leader's, he definitely needed more Pokemon.

,,Come on, Cooper. This time we'll catch it." Jan uttered as he threw the Totodile's Pokeball on the ground and the wild Sentret instantly prepared itself for a fight.

,,Cooper use your watergun on Sentret!" The moment the new trainer ordered the attack, a blast of water shot out of Cooper's mouth and hit Sentret, which retorted with a tackle attack. ,,Go, buddy, use Scratch!"

Although the small Totodile was quiet fast, Sentret managed to duck the Scratch attack and hit Cooper again with it's tackle attack. This time Sentret's hit was hard enough to let Cooper tumble and fall on his back. ,,Toto."

,,Come on, Coop, chin up!" Cooper stood up again and waited for a new order from Jan, but he stayed quite. The wild Sentret used this opportunity to dare another Tackle. It ran with incredible speed towards Cooper, who stood still, but looked panicked back to Jan. When Sentret had almost reached Cooper, Jan suddenly yelled a new command. ,,Now quick, buddy, use Scratch!"

In fact Jan's plan proved to be successful when the wild Pokemon yell a sound of pain and fell to the ground. Jan hastily took a empty Pokeball and threw it at the Sentret. The same bright red light, which always appeared when Jan released Cooper, pulled the lying Pokemon into the Pokeball. The Pokeball shacked for a few seconds, before it stopped and thus signaled that the wild Sentret was caught. ,,Dile! To Toto!"

Jan walked to where the Pokeball, which now held Sentret, lay and picked it up. The teenager smiled broadly as he observed the red-white ball in his hand and quietly muttered something that sounded like ,,Our first catch." whereas he wiped some sweat from his face.

Together with his newly caught Pokemon Sentret, which Jan named 'Edric', the young trainer continued his way to the next town called Cherrygrove City. Although Edric was slightly injured Jan let him staged some battles against other wild Pokemons, until he finally reached Cherrygrove City. When Jan entered the path that lead towards the entrance he saw buildings, which looked gigantic in comparison to the small houses he knew from New Bark Town. But the biggest difference to Jan's home town was the existence of a Pokemon center and a Pokemart. When someone needed a healing machine or some utensils, they asked Professor Elm for help. Jan decided to let his Pokemons get some rest, so he went into the Pokemon center, but when he opened the heavy glass doors he didn't knew where to go, because the center was very crowded with trainers, who held their wounded Pokemons in their arms, and talked excited to each other. Gladly a young woman, who appeared to be in her twenties, with pink hair and white clothes waved to Jan.

,,Hello, young trainer. My name is Nurse Joy. Was your Pokemon also hurt by the swirls near the shores of Cherrygrove?" her soft voice was filled with concern.

,,Swirls? No, I just came from route 29." Jan explained and gave Nurse Joy his two Pokeballs from his blue jacket when she hold out her hand. ,,Oh. Well, we are a bit overwhelmed because the swirls injured some Pokemon very hard, but I'm sure we can take care of your Pokemon quickly." Jan smiled gratefully in return.

While the Nurses healed Jan's Pokemons, he spend time talking a trainer in the center named Jim McCoy, who had just received back his Poliwag. Jim told Jan that the swirls Nurse Joy talked about suddenly arose and hurt quite a lot of Pokemon, who trained together with their trainers near the shore on the west side of Cherrygrove City. The swirls had vanished almost as fast as they came, but nobody could explain how it happened.

Like Nurse Joy predicted, Jan's Pokemon were healed quite quickly, so he was able to leave the pokemon center behind and entered route 30. Mr Pokemon's house was almost at the end of the route, which left Jan some more time to train Cooper and Edric. When Jan could already see the roof top of Mr Pokemon's small two-storey house, a queasy feeling spread in his stomach. He had never meet or even heard of this mysterious man who called himself Mr. Pokemon. The only thing Jan knew about him was that he worked together with Professor Elm, but this wasn't enough to give some indication of his character. Still with this uneasy feeling in his stomach, Jan knocked on the dark brown, wood door. Jan startled when he heard a crashing noise, which sounded like a chair fell down. When the door finally opened, an elder man with a black, outdated hat and a white mustache, which was a great contrast to his hat, eyed Jan up. He wore a black suit and smiled widely at his visitor. Jan saw that indeed a unstable wood chair lay on the ground. It looked like Mr. Pokemon jumped up from his chair and knocked it down in the process, when Jan had tapped on the door. Seems like he wasn't so used to visits.

,,Francis Janek, I assume?" Mr Pokemon still smiled as he aimed to Jan with his finger.


	3. Chapter 3

3

,,The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

Jan was shocked to say the least. He had imagined the man, who called himself 'Mr. Pokemon', a bit different. More frighting and less friendly. More serious and less wired. And above all more professional, but the elder man almost tripped twice when he ushered Jan into his house and when Jan took a look into the living room of the small house, it looked like a bomb exploded. Papers were scattered around the room, water bottles were laying opened on the ground and soaked some papers and it seemed that almost everything Mr Pokemon took in his hands, slipped right out of them. He kinda reminded Jan of Professor Elm.

,,I was told of your arrival, Jan. Henry said he'd sent a boy over here to deliver some papers. He also told us that you're privy to our plan, which let's me imply that you're the boy, who is searching for Ash Ketchum, right? Well, anyway. You've got those papers from Henry?" Mr. Pokemon explained, while his smile never left his roundly face. Jan still wondered how he could be this happy and carefree, considering what they were planning, but grabbed the file Professor Elm had given him out of his back without losing a word about that. Jan lay the thick, light brown file on the kitchen table and Mr. Pokemon reached for it the moment Jan let it go. While Mr. Pokemon opened the file and read quite quickly through the many papers in his hand Jan watched how fast his eyes moved from the left to the right side.

Since Mr. Pokemon was busy scanning though the paper while quietly muttering things like ,,Hmm", Jan didn't know what to do, so he sat down on one of the chairs Mr. Pokemon hadn't knock over yet. He thought about asking whether it was okay to leave now, but just as he opened his mouth to do so, Mr Pokemon usual tiny, brown eyes widen excitingly and he began to yell for someone. ,,Sam, come here! You've gotta see this!"

Jan forgot what he wanted to say, startled by Mr. Pokemon's sudden outburst. A few seconds later a door in the back of the house cracked open and Jan heard how the old floorboards creaked. ,,What has happened? Why are you yell- oh hello."

A man, who looked even older than Mr. Pokemon, maybe in his fifties, and was dressed in a long white lab coat, came into view and stopped his ranting at Mr. Pokemon, when he saw they had a visitor. He had gray, spiky hair and was a small, chubby man. ,,Hello, there. My name is-"

,,Professor Oak." Jan finished he older man's introduction. Everybody knew Professor Samuel Oak, after all he was even better known than Professor Elm and had his own radio program together with a young woman named Mary Winston alias "DJ Mary".

,,Yes, that's me. You must be the boy Henry sent. Thanks for doing this." Oak seemed more serious and professional than Mr. Pokemon, although he most probably would be even more cheerful than him under different circumstances. He still watched when Jan nodded, but turned his attention back to the other man in the room rather quickly. ,,So why were you yelling?"

,,Look, here. These are the records I asked of Henry. Read this article!" Mr. Pokemon's excited mood returned as he pointed to a rather small paragraph of one of the papers. Professor Oak took the file out of Mr. Pokemon's shaking hands and read the paragraph out loud.

,,_We have a strong reason to believe that the rumors about Team Rocket's rise aren't rumors anymore. From a trustworthy contact we have got the information that these criminals are planning on catching the legendary Pokemon Lugia and use it for their diabolical purposes. Imagine what could happen if a criminal organization from the worst kind as Team Rocket has power over one of the most powerful Pokemon? We can't let the government fool us into believing everything is alright and the situation will solve itself. No, my fellow Johtonians, we have to take the matter into our own hands and stop these criminals!"_

When Professor Oak stopped reading, he was lost for words and looked as if he wanted to tear his hair out. He paced up and down in the room and held his hand in front of his mouth. Mr. Pokemon and Jan watched him, until Professor Oak finally stood still and starred at Mr Pokemon intensive.

,,This can't get published. No, no, no. We must prevent the citizen to step there themselves. For God's sakes, that's way too dangerous, if they already began to catch Lugia. And especially the Rockets or Mazzini mustn't know we already know about their doings. They're gonna be even more violently. You..." Oak's voice was sharp as he pointed towards Mr. Pokemon. ,,You've got to wrangle yourself into the media and prevent reports like those from being published. Come on, we have to contrive another plan and Jan, you better go on. We don't have time to lose."

Just as Jan wanted to leave, his Pokegear began to ring. His mother gave this mobile phone like device top him as a gift to his 15th Birthday, but Jan didn't used it very often. Mostly just to call his one friend Scott or listen to music. The young boy searched again in his backpack for his Pokegear.

,,Hello?"

,,Jan, listen this is important. Have you seen a boy with red hair? Very long, red hair? Dressed in blue?" Jan had a hard time listening to Professor Elm though the Pokegear, due to the professor's loud, jarring voice.

,,What? No, I didn't, why do you ask?" When he turned back to Mr. Pokemon and Professor Oak and noticed that they were watching him, he decided to put Professor Elm on speaker.

,,Dammit! This boy came here and asked for a Pokemon. When I told him that I couldn't provide him one at the moment, because I was busy and turned my back on him, he just stole my Chikorita. I hoped you might have encountered him. Well, anyway what's done cannot be undone. I supposed you already reached Cherrygrove City?" Elm's voice sounded a bit disappointed even though he tried to hide it.

,,Yeah. And I delivered the papers to Mr. Pokemon, but he-"

At the mention of his name, Mr. Pokemon snatched the Pokegear out of Jan's hand and held it to his ears. ,,Hello? Henry? Yes, yes it's me. Listen, in those papers you send here..."

While Mr. Pokemon explained Professor Elm about their current problem, Professor Oak took Jan aside. He whispered quietly as not to disturb Mr. Pokemon. ,,Jan, you better go now. Remember, stay inconspicuous, but the time is running out, so you've still go to hurry. Don't worry too much about those other things, we're going to take care of that. Good luck with finding Ash."

The elder man gave Jan a confident pat on the back and an encourage nod. At least it looked like it should be an encourage one, but the professor's weary face kinda quashed his attempt.

Instead of heeding Professor Oak's advice of hurrying up, Jan slowly began to walk towards his next destination; Violet City. It seemed that more and more problems came up to detain Jan's mission. He didn't thought that so many things would wait for him, when he left home to go on his journey. He stilled wished Professor Elm would have chosen someone else instead of him. The young trainer was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't noticed a even younger boy yelling at him. It wasn't until the little boy, who looked about 14, grabbed Jan by the sleeve of his blue-gray jacket, that he heard the high yelled shouts from the boy. When he turned his head towards the small boy, who held a Pokeball in his hand and threw it up and caught it over and over again, Jan wondered, if he was a trainer, although he seemed too young to be one. The boy wore his dark clue cap backwards and his orange T-shirt and dark shorts hung baggy on his petite body. His cheeky face matched his attitude, although his expression changed a bit when he didn't caught his Pokeball and it fell on the ground; opening during this process. ,,Let's battle!"

As always the bright red light shot from the Pokeballs and a tiny creature formed from it. When the light vanished a purple rat with gigantic, white teeth, which came out of his mouth, and a curled tail, stood before the young boy. The lower side of it's body was white just like it's two whiskers. ,,My Rattata counts to the top percent! What do you got?" The boy's sassy snicker returned when he proudly observed his Rattata.

Jan let out a sigh. ,,Listen, kid. I-"

,,The name's Joey!" the young trainer cried loudly and cross his small arms in front of his chest.

,,Okay. Joey, I really don't have time for this right now. Just... just challenge someone else, okay. I mean how did you even got a Pokemon? What are you? 15?" Jan gestured with his arm at Joey, whose cheeky mood was replaced with an angry one.

,,My brother gave me Rattata as a birthday present. My 14th Birthday. There are ways to trick the government, you know. And now you'll fight with me. These are the rules!" Jan wondered if Joey realized the irony in his words and wanted to explain to him again that he didn't have time for a match, but he remembered the time he wasted when he tried to deny something from his younger cousin and how annoying young children could get. ,,Well, then."

With yet another sigh Jan released his newly caught Sentret Edric from it's Pokeball. As soon as the Pokemon was free, Edric began to whirl his tail around wildly, causing Joey to snicker at the brown, weasel-like Pokemon. He smiled with triumph at having brought Jan to fight with him. ,,Go, Rattata, use Tackle!"

The small rat ran towards Edric and hit the Sentret with it's head, but Edric stood up again and waited for a command from his trainer, who watched while Joey grinned again. ,,Scratch, Edric!"

,,Forget it!" Joey shouted while Edric's claws began to glint and tried to approach Rattata. ,,Dodge the Scratch with Quick attack, Rattata." And indeed, Rattata could duck the attack by moving as fast as a flash to the right side and let Edric run past him. ,,And now use tackle again!"

While Edric tried top turn around again, Rattata had already hit him in the stomach with it's head again. Joey's smirk was almost unbearable.

,,Don't give up, Edric. Quick attack." Jan shouted as he watched Edric stand up on his feet again.

,,You too, Rattata!" With incredible speed the two Pokemon raced and bumped into each other. Sadly for Rattata, Edric's thrust had more strength, causing the small, purple rat to fly against a nearby tree. ,,Oh no. Rattata!"

It was Jan's turn to smirk, when he noticed Joey had lost his smile. ,,Once more, Edric. Quick attack." Joey's Rattata had just managed to stand up again, after it hit the tree, when it was struck once more into the ground by Edric. This time however, it couldn't stand up. Joey ran to his injured Pokemon and knelt down next to it. Tears were beginning to stream down his thin face.

Jan watched Joey and though about approaching him. It wasn't his manner to just walk away after something like this, but he didn't know what to say to the crying kid, and after all he had enough stuff to think about. There was really no space left for a though about comforting Joey in his mind, so he left and didn't turn around again to see Joey running to the next Pokemon center with his fainted Rattata in his arms. Although Jan didn't wanted to think about Joey, he couldn't deny how good it felt to win his first battle against another trainer, even if it was someone like the sassy 14-year old Joey.

As Jan continued walking along route 31, he pondered the Professors' words. Stay unobtrusive. To a normal Pokemon journey belongs challenging the gym leaders. Firstly Jan decided to take these challenges, but if he had to train for every fight (which he certainly would have to), he'd lose valuable time. Nonetheless it would help him grow stronger, after all the way to and though Mt. Silver isn't an easy one.

Still thinking about what to do, Jan suddenly saw a sign standing on the right side in front of some trees with the inscription "Violet City". Jan smiled relieved. It was beginning to get dark and he still had to search for an accommodation. His mother had given him some money for food, accommodations and other things he needed and recommended to go to "Alice's", a pension lead by an elder couple. It was a small, but well-known pension, most probably due to their carrying about not only humans, but also wild, injured Pokemon, who had no trainer. Jan snapped out of his thoughts and back to reality by a jab from someone. He was startled for a moment, before noticing a boy had nudged him to the side and walked fast into the directions of Violet City.

,,Jerk." Jan muttered, but seemingly loud enough for the red headed boy to hear, because he turned around and glared at Jan with fiery eyes. When the boy, who looked about as old as Jan, turned around, Jan eyed him up. A tall boy with long, red hair, a blue almost violet jacket with red stripes and blue shoes. He had a astonish pale face, so his angry expression and his just as furious glare protruded. It was only when Jan avoided the boy's glare, he noticed the little green Pokemon jogging beside him. It looked like a very tiny dinosaur with a large leaf on it's head and a ring of dark green chain attached to it's throat and neck. A Chikorita. Come to think about it, this stranger pretty much pertained Professor Elm's description, when he was told of the theft in the lab.

,,I'm very sorry, if I hurt, ya. Here let me see, if everything is alright." the redhead yelled with sarcasm dripping from his voice. Although Jan was a bit offended, he didn't ´put too much thouhg about that.

,,From where do you have this Chikorita?" Jan asked, while he pointed to the small Pokemon, which was now hiding behind the stranger's leg.

,,That's none of you business. What? You want a fight?" he screamed but corrected himself after a few seconds. ,,Oh, forget it. I don't have time for this crap."

The redhead stormed away after that without saying another word. At first Jan wanted to follow him, after all he had stolen a Pokemon, but he was already up and away. Besides that, Professor Oak said to leave things like these up to them or the Police.

When Jan finally reached Violet City, he was surprised how small it actually was. Sure it was bigger than New Bark Town or Cherrygrove City, but from the stories he heard about this City, he had expected to see much more. Maybe he just imagined this. In the end it's been almost 14 years that he had visited Violet City and as a 4-year old even New Bark Town seemed like a big City. Gladly for Jan "Alice's" was one of the buildings standing nearby the entrance of the City. When he entered the comfy two-story building, nightfall had come to the Town. Jan payed for his room and decided he'd explore the rest of downtown after a good, long sleep. Unfortunately, he couldn't get this required sleep. After rolling around in his bed for quite some hours, he released his two Pokemons. His room wasn't very big and consisted of a bed, a shelf and another cupboard, so as soon as Edric and Cooper were released they jumped on the furniture in the room. Cooper settled down next to Jan on the bed, while Edric climbed on the cupboard. The only light in the room came from the bright moon, shining inside though the narrow window, but it shone enough light, so that Jan could have a good look at his Pokemons and their happy and satisfied notwithstanding tired faces. Suddenly Jan silently asked himself, if they even knew what they were doing and if he should tell them, but what made a for a difference in the end. After all they were on a journey, even if this was a different kind of journey. Jan nervously looked from Cooper to Edric. If he was a Pokemon, he'd like to know what he was going to do. At that moment Jan decided, he couldn't stay in this small room any longer. Together with Cooper and Edric, Jan walked slowly and quietly as not to wake any other visitors, down the wooden stair. A bright light suddenly shone from the lobby, when Jan reached the big room at the entrance of the pension.

,,Well, aren't those two cute Pokemons." a scratchy voice called from the lobby. When the light dimmed down enough for Jan to see something at all, he noticed an elder woman a worn-out couch. She had thin, white hair running down her face and it hided a few wrinkles. She wore a crumpled black blouse with some golden jewelry. Next to her, on a brown end table, stood the source of the sudden bright light; a flashlight.

,,Thanks." Jan answered. She smiled and it seemed that a few of her wrinkles vanished by doing so.

,,I'm Alice. The owner of the pension. Do you need something or why are you up at this hour?" At first Jan thought she was rebuking him, but her smile showed it was a question of pure concern. ,,I can't sleep." Jan answered truthfully.

,,Oh, are you also thinking about the swirls too much like me?" although Jan wanted to deny her question, she didn't let him answer. ,,You know, this already happened some time before. Back then one of the legendary Pokemon was angered so much by something, that things like these swirls were the results of it's rage. But this is just a legend, so there's no reason to worry too much."

The old woman continued talking about her youth, but Jan already stopped listening. Maybe there was more reason than ever to worry. Her words had brought back the memory of the article he had heard in Mr. Pokemon's house, about Team Rocket trying to catch Lugia. But why would those swirls near Cherrygrove City arise, just because of Team Rocket. Albeit it sounded just like the story of Alice. Maybe he should try to contact one of the Professors. Just as Jan thought about that, he tried to think about where his Pokegear was, because he couldn't remember putting it back into his backpack. When he remembered however, that he had let it with Mr. Pokemon, he could have slapped himself.

,,Totodiles are very uncommon. Do you have yours from Professor Elm?" Alice asked Jan as she petted Cooper, who had jumped on the couch, while Jan wasn't paying attention.

,,Yeah. I... I better try to get some sleep now." Jan explained absently and waited for his Pokemon to follow him back to his room. And once again, he was lost in thoughts. Tomorrow won't be a free day.


End file.
